Materials

Textiles, Carpets, and Leather

Woven textiles have always played an important role in Islamic society and in many cases were among the most prestigious and costly luxury goods.

Technically, textiles ranged from fairly simple tabby and tapestry weaves, through ikat, lampas, and samitum fabrics, to highly complex metal-brocaded velvets. In addition, there were embroidered, printed, and other types of fabrics.

Different materials were also used: plant fibers such as linen and cotton, wool from sheep and goats, silk, and finally various kinds of “metal thread.”

Pile carpets of wool, cotton, or silk – commonly called Oriental carpets – are justifiably associated almost exclusively with the Middle East, from which they were exported to the entire world.

Tanned animal skins were used to make parchment and leather of different types.

Fragment of a shawl, wool and silk

India, Kashmir; 2nd half of 17th century
H: 19.5; W: 37 cm

“Kashmir shawls” were probably made in northern India from the 15th century, and Akbar valued them highly and encouraged their manufacture. The earliest preserved shawls only date to the second half of the 17th century, however.

This fragment is from the end of a long, narrow shawl whose large center section was solid green. Each flowering bush grows in the earth and is rendered quite naturalistically, with leaves, stems, and uniform flowers in various degrees of bloom.

Later, toward 1700, the motif was stylized, and flowers were frequently placed in vases. In the 18th century, the bouquets were stylized further into an asymmetrical, drop-shaped ornament – the buta.